Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) announced this week that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will testify on Feb. 2 before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about his role in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ now-infamous “Operation Fast and Furious.”

Issa, who is chairman of the House committee, and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have led an ongoing investigation into the role of Holder and the Department of Justice in the operation.

Rumor Alert: Veterans’ Health and “Sporting Purposes” Among the thousands of questions NRA-ILA answers every month by email, phone and letter are scores that begin “This guy told me he heard …” Unfortunately, all too often this is the telltale sign of one of the rampant rumors that circulate around campfires or gun store counters, and especially on the Internet. Three of the most recent top rumors involve veterans’ gun rights, the status of the “sporting purposes” test for firearms importation, and new restrictions on gun shows.

Record NICS Checks in 2011: In January, the FBI reported that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) performed a record number of background checks in 2011. Over 99 percent of NICS checks are firearm-related.

Obama to Congress: I’ll Decide What’s Constitutional: This week, NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox wrote a comprehensive op-ed for the Daily Caller regarding President Obama abusing executive privilege and seeking new ways to vilify gun owners and further his anti-gun agenda.

To read the piece, please click here.

Get Involved In This Year’s Elections: NRA, along with America’s gun owners and Second Amendment supporters, have long been anticipating the 2012 elections—discussing, planning, preparing to ensure that our nation heads in the right direction of protecting freedom and our Second Amendment rights. Now is the time to put those plans into action, and with the help of the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division, we are confident in victory for 2012!

GRASSROOTS NEWS MINUTE VIDEO: To view this week’s “Grassroots News Minute” video, please click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIYkRmi2Tj ESTATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week’s issue of the Grassroots Alert.)

For additional information, please click on the links provided.

NEVADA: Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association Hosting Fourth Annual CCW Forum
The Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association will be hosting its annual Concealed Carry Weapons forum in Las Vegas on Tuesday, January 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Grant Sawyer Government Building (room 4401) located on 555 East Washington Avenue in Las Vegas.  Your participation is key to the continued success of Nevada’s Right-to-Carry process, so please attend this important forum.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Pro-Gun Legislation Passes in State House
Despite fierce opposition from Governor John Lynch, House Bill 334 and House Bill 536 passed in the state House of Representatives and will now go to the state Senate for consideration. HB 334 would strengthen current statewide firearms preemption by further prohibiting local governments or state agencies from enacting ordinances or regulations for the use of firearms. HB 536 would repeal the existing law that requires a person to have a concealed firearm license in order to carry concealed.

NEW MEXICO: Pro-Second Amendment Companion Bill Pre-Filed for Short Session!Recently, state Senator Bill Payne (R-ABQ) pre-filed Senate Bill 26, the Senate companion measure to House Bill 32, which was introduced in December by state Representative Bill Rehm (R-ABQ) and previously reported here.  This legislation would repeal Section 30-7-9 of the New Mexico Criminal Code, which limits the purchase of rifles and shotguns by New Mexico residents to their home state and contiguous states.

ATAC TV FIREARMS, TOM CLARKE, MARK FLINN, LENNY BOLTON, JIM FULLER, GLENN JUSTICE, JEFF HALL, NRA, HANDGUNS, RIFLES,

About Jeff Hall

ATAC TV Law Enforcement & Military Channels’ Jeff Hall

Owner and lead instructor Jeff Hall is a retired lieutenant from the Alaska State Troopers, with over 25 years of combined military and law enforcement experience. While a Trooper, Jeff spent nineteen years on the pistol team and twelve on the S.W.A.T. team; he has used all of the techniques taught by Force Options in combat and also on ATAC TV LEO/Military Channel
Jeff Hall is one of the only US police officers to win an air-to-ground firefight against an armed criminal. This occurred on 5/19/84 at Manley Hot Springs, Alaska; it was recently featured on the History Channel’s Sniper: Deadliest Missions.
Helo-Gunners was founded by two air-to-ground combat survivors, Jeff Hall and Chris Hayes. All Helo-Gunner Instructors are LE and/or military combat veterans.
Based on actual police air-to-ground combat, aerial gunnery is designed for the police or military group using helicopters for patrol, insertion, or interdiction. This class teaches the operator to effectively engage targets from a moving helicopter. This class is a must for any organization that puts armed officers into helicopters!

Jeff is a Handgun Combat Master and holds black belts in five arts, ranging from 3rd through 10th Dan. He is an NRA certified instructor in handgun, shotgun, submachine gun, carbine, and precision rifle; an NRA Adjunct Staff Instructor; and certified Police Master Instructor. All Force Options instructors are similarly qualified.
Jeff is currently training for the Four Weapon Combat Master test, and to become the second ever to pass the Handgun Combat Master test with a revolver.
In 2005 Jeff was inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and in 2007 into the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He was named Grandmaster, promoted to 10th dan, and named “soke”, or founder, of the art of Hojutsu, the Art of Shooting.

Jeff has wrote many articles for magazines such as; S.W.A.T. Magazine, Police One, Gun Buyer’s Annual, Tactical Weapons, Black Belt. Additionally many firearm training manuals over the years.